Town council takes action on Copar Quarries

September 12, 2013

By

CATHERINE HEWITT

(Photo by Catherine Hewitt)
During the Charlestown Town Council meeting on Monday, Al James of Charlestown showed how much dirtier his water filters are getting because he lives near the Copar Quarries. The filter on the left is a lot darker than the one on the right and was changed after only three months.Â

Council feels Westerly is not taking action; asks attorney general to investigate

CHARLESTOWN â As a step toward addressing the ongoing complaints from Charlestown residents against Copar Quarries and Westerly Granite Company (WGC), the Charlestown Town Council unanimously passed a resolution Monday night asking the Rhode Island Attorney General to look into the actions and/or inactions of the town of Westerly, Copar Quarries and WGC.

Because the quarries are located in Westerly, Charlestown has no jurisdiction over the quarriesâ hours of operation, noise levels or traffic, which residents say have negatively impacted their property values and quality of life.
The resolution vote had been originally scheduled for Aug. 13 but was postponed because WGC Attorneys Christopher Mulhearn and George Comolli sent letters stating that there had been insufficient time given for preparation. They requested a continuance, which the town council granted.
However, representatives from Copar Quarries and WGC did not attend Mondayâs hearing.
Council President Thomas B. Gentz read a letter from WGCâs attorney Christopher Mulhearn stating that his client would not attend because, among other reasons, the town had violated the stateâs open meetings act. Mulhearn also wrote that the âtown has not provided WGC with documents requested Aug. 13, 2013,â and had âwillfully and knowingly denied due process to WGC.â
Town Clerk Amy Rose Weinreich said that she had spent approximately 40 hours researching and acquiring WGCâs requested documents and had asked for an extension of 20 business days because of the volume of the request.

For the rest of this story and more local news, pick up the Sept. 12 issue of the Chariho Times.